Supporters of the legislation on human stem cell research are pushing for a vote of the full Assembly which they failed to achieve once before, said William F. Bolan Jr. executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference.

The NJCC continues to urge parishioners to make known their opposition concerning this legislation to their Assembly members.

The legislation, S-1909/A-2840, provides that the public policy of this State is to permit the conduct of research that involves the derivation and use of human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic germ cells and human adult stem cells from any source, including somatic cell nuclear transplantation.

The NJCC opposes the bill. "Stem cell research" refers to research using stem cells that come from embryos or other sources, such as adult tissue, placentas, or umbilical cord blood, Bolan said. The only way to obtain embryonic stem cells, however, is to kill the living human embryo, he said.

Embryonic stem cells have not helped a single human patient, while adult stem cells and similar ethically acceptable alternatives have helped hundreds of thousands, Bolan said.

" We believe it is more important than ever to stand for the principle that government must not treat any living human being as research material, as a mere means for benefit to others," Bolan said. "In short, we should not support research that relies on the destruction of some defenseless human beings for the possible benefit to others. S-1909/A-2840 is truly radical because it would allow a cloned living human being to be implanted into a uterus at the embryonic state and harvested for research and skilled at any time from the embryonic period through the ninth month of pregnancy."

S-1909 passed the Senate on December 16, 2002. The Assembly failed to pass it once before, but there will be a major push to move it post-election in the Assembly.

Opponents of the legislation should contact their two Assembly members immediately and urge them to vote no on this legislation.

To find out who your Assembly members are, call the Office of Legislative Services at (800) 792-8630, or go to the Legislature’s webpage at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp.  Also, contact Gov. McGreevey’s office at (609) 292-6000 and ask for Constituent Relations or send a fax to (609) -292-3454 and say you are opposed to this legislation.